Usually packaging machines are used for the packaging of articles or article groups, especially packs. Thereby the packaging material is wrapped around the article groups by wrapping modules. The packaging machines comprise chains or cantilever beams with wrapping rods or carrier elements. The wrapping rods or carrier elements transport the pre cut packaging materials and wrap it around the articles. For example, rigid curve profiles are used. The curve profiles are customized according to the pack cargo dimensions and the required processing efficiencies. So called carrier chains are guided in the rigid curve profiles. Depending on the product and processing efficiency different contours are used. The contours therefore need to be replaced or changed accordingly. Furthermore it is known to use height adjustable contours as well as freely adjustable chain bases to produce an optimized processing curve.
DE 296 08 343 U1 describes a device used for wrapping film around a group of articles. Hereby a carrier rod is moved along a guidance that can be adjusted in its height.
EP 0 581 747 B1 describes a film wrapping module with a plurality of gears and a plurality of rails arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement. The film wrapping module can occupy different positions by adjusting the gears and the rails. This allows an adaptation to the articles to be wrapped in film.
DE 100 37 714 C1 describes a film wrapping module with at least one film carrier rod encircling a closed path. The path of the film carrier rod can be programmed freely thereby adjusting it to the articles to be packaged.
A film wrapping device 1 known from prior art is depicted in FIG. 1. The article group 5, which is to be wrapped, is fed to the film wrapping device 1 by a conveying device 10, for example a continuous conveyor 11. The wrapping chain 12 is guided over deflections 14, 14* in a contour 15 with chain bases 16.
The packaging material, especially the film 6, is guided over the carrier element 18 and wrapped around the article group 5. The wrapped article group 7 is then fed into further processing devices, for instance to a shrinking tunnel 2.